Muta and Mei: A Quest to Find The Cat Bus
by Rose.M.Rainwave
Summary: A little girl is lost and needs help getting home. It just so happens that there's a Bureau for helping people with their problems. And it's also quite lucky for the little girl that a certain grumpy member of said Bureau knows exactly how to get her home. Set shortly before the events of 'Truth Begins in The Lies of The Mirror'.


**Sorry to Anon, who reviewed for my other story about Time Travel. I've actually never watched Sailor Moon so I have no idea what you were talking about. Again, I'm really sorry to disappoint! I do plan on turning that one into an actual story, but it might be awhile before I start working on it. I still have my main fic to work on.**

 **I remember how I mentioned Mei and the Cat Bus in the first chapter of 'Truth Begins In The Lies Of The Mirror' and I decided to build of that for the TCR Birthday Bash prompts. (I know this is very late but I had a computer virus so I guess this is more of a 'belated' Birthday Bash...)**

 **But I hope you like it, sorry for this being late and very sorry to Anon for disappointing you. (If you are reading this which I reeealy hope you are ;)**

 **Crossover AU: Cat Returns/My Neighbor Totoro**

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''Come on, kid. This way to the cat bus...''

How did he get himself into this mess? So what if he knew what the kid was looking for and how to find it? Why was he the one who had to babysit her?

The little girl was toddling behind him, giggling! Giggling, of all things!

''Kitty!?'' she called in a worried tone.

Ugh...You have to be kidding...She fell behind AGAIN?!

''This way, kid! Over here!'' Muta called behind.

The little girl peeked around the corner, shrieked, ran towards him, and then enveloped him in a big cuddle attack.

''NO! No..Eck! Get off ah' me!'' he ordered. She ignored him of course and instead muttered to herself.

''Fluffy kitty...''

''Do ya want to get find the cat bus or not?''

''Cat Bus!''

''Alright! Yeesh...Come on. And for all the fish in the lake, don't wander off!''

The little three-year-old followed closely behind him, this time not getting lost as she held onto a little bit of cloth with something inside.

''What ya got in that bag that's so important anyway...''

They had just gotten to the suburbs when he heard a low growl. He turned to look and saw a large greyhound, it's fangs bared at the two of them.

The little girl gasped, obviously scared. It's beady eyes turned to her, the growl growing louder as its form became hunched, prepared to attack.

It lunged, but was suddenly met with a large force knocking it away from the child. Muta's sharp claws dug into its face, his loud hiss rivaling the growl.

The greyhound yelped and tried to run, its limp slowing it down.

''Take that you mangy mutt! One point for the cats! Am I right kid? Kid?''

The little girl was crouched, her head between her knee as it was cradled in her hands. She was crying and whimpering, the cloth still clutched in one hand.

''Hey, kiddo? Come on, it's alright...That mutt is long gone by now. You're safe...''

Muta placed a paw on her knee and she looked up, her eyes tear stricken.

''You okay, kid?'' he asked, to which she nodded her head and reached out to pet the large cat. Muta would normally never allow it, but gave in. He inched closer laying his head on her lap as she sat down.

'Good thing that bird brain isn't here...' Muta thought as his gruff voice let out a purr. The little girl's hiccuping stopped and she soon went back to muttering 'Fluffy kitty' again. He rose and stretched.

''Ready, kiddo? Alright, let's go find that cat bus before ya fall asleep.''

Muta led the way, going a bit slower so the sleepy girl could keep up. They reached the outskirts of town and climbed the last hill, stopping at the tree at the top.

''Mei! Mei, where are you!'' A young girl's voice called out. Muta stepped away from Mei and into the bushes, out of sight.

That seemed to waken up the kid enough.

''Satsuki? Satsuki!'' The little girl cried and ran towards the older girl, her pink dress stained with flecks of grass.

''Mei! There you are! Don't ever do that!''

''Satsuki, the fluffy kitty!'' the kid, Mei, said pointing to where Muta once stood. She blinked confusedly.

''Come on, Mei. We can play later.''

''Fluff kitty? M-Muta?'' She looked for him, calling his name. In spite of his better judgement, he stuck his head out so she could see him.

She pulled away from the older kid and ran towards Muta, who was still hiding partly in the bushes.

''Muta!''

''Thats fluffy kitty to you, kiddo.''

''Mei! Don't wander off! Mei!''

''You better go with your sister. The cat bus will be coming soon.''

The little cloth she had been holding through their entire journey was suddenly pushed outwards for him.

''What's this?''

''Thank you.''

''MEI!'' Satsuki yelled.

''Coming!''

The little cloth was gently dropped to the ground before Mei ran back to the older girl. The breeze changed and the cat bus appeared. The two girls boarded and they soon were gone with another gust of wind.

As the wind rushed past Muta, it unveiled what the small cloth held.

''Blueberries?''

Muta popped one into his mouth not expecting the flavor to be _that_ good. He saw a little note, covered in little stains of blue and purple, reading _"To: Fluffiest Kitty. From: Mei."_

''Maybe it was a good thing that I helped out that tiny human...'' Muta said to himself. He picked up the cloth between his teeth and padded home, back to the Bureau.

''Maybe I could ask Chicky to make some blueberry muffins. It'd give her an excuse to flirt with Baron...''

What Muta didn't notice was a shadow creature placing something inside the bundle, delivering the shard as his master told him to.

And little did Muta know, that this shard would start the beginning of a long quest.


End file.
